AMELEAH

1 month 7 days to go until I leave for Africa!! I can't wait and at the same time I can't belive that this is actually happening. I have always wanted to travel and what I have had the oppertunity to experience has strongly reinforced that desire. When I first heard about this trip it sounded wonderful but I hadn't really given much thought to the possibility of study abroad at this point in my life. The more I heard about it though, the better it sounded. There were so many things that drew me to this program; being a part of the first group to take part in the program was exciting, nobody could tell me what to expect. I also loved the idea of learning traditional african crafts directly from the artisans themselves. What better way to learn about a culture than to experience it first hand and what a facinating culture to learn about! To be honest I don't really know what to expect when I arrive in Africa. I have been trying to prepare by learning a bit about Cote d'Ivoire, listening to Kathryn's stories and reading books by African authors, but how can anything prepare you for the real thing? I am just going to try to open myself up to the experience and learn as much as I can. I have the feeling that what ever happens this is going to be wonderful and I am going to come back a slightly changed person with my eyes opened in new and exciting ways.

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